This is it!

I wasn't going to blog any more until I had 2 weeks quit, but i decided I needed to document my journey. This is part of it. Today is day 2... again. I struggled a lot today, but i was expecting to. I shouldn't say struggled, but rode... I didn't fight the cravings but let them happen and breathed through them or got myself busy.

As I have said before, evenings are the hardest time for me.

What is different this time, for me to feel more confident in my quit so early on you may ask? Well...

1 is I put on Facebook for my entire family and friends to see that I am quitting but having a hard time. I got a lot of positive feedback from those who have quit, and those who want too. It was good to out myself.

2 is something Greg here wrote. He wrote about would he rather go through a craving or go to the dentist and have a shot in the gums. He said he would rather go through the craving of course, so would I. He also wrote that the hard part of cravings is knowing he will have to go through them again tomorrow. This is why I end up caving. I think my evening craves are so bad, that I could get through it, bit god forbid it continue tomorrow, and the next day, and the next! "I can't do it" i say and then go biy a pack and smoke.

Well now that I know this I'm better prepared. I know I can get though tonight's, and if the come tomorrow, I will deal with it then. I don't need to think of tomorrow, just today. And if I continue to do this, one evening I won't even think of cigarettes.

I know for a fact this to be true because so many people have told me so, and i once quit for a year. Most of that year I felt free from cravings. So i know what it can feel like when I get through these first few weeks and then months.

Thank you all for your support. I get on here and read a lot. It helps tremendously

You sound great beccalynn35, I'm really glad that gregp136 words about the crave or the dentist and getting a needle helped, you can and will be successful one precious smoke free day at a time. Maybe you could watch some comedy TV on YouTube, in the evenings, I watched a lot in the first few weeks of my quit because laughter really cuts down on the craves, sleep well Zzzzzzzzzzzzz's.

Each day won gives you more confidence for the next thik about the positive things talk to yourself and baby yourself because it is still a baby quit ! Please know form me and everyone else who has made it through the withdrawal that it will definitely get easier as you stack up those days Becca ! You have made it this far going back to Day 1 would be such a bummer !

That was a really good analogy. Try to distract yourself when you have a craving so you don't dwell on it. Craves really only last a few minutes but you give it more strength if you continue to think about it. The craving will be less intense and fewer in time as the nicotine receptors in your brain go dormant but it takes time.But, it's very little time when compared with a lifetime of smoking,

Yes, beccalynn35, you are doing it. Those urges are quick little suckers. They may have come more last evening, but who says they will come today? Take it one breath and urge at a time! You are doing it!

"I didn't fight the cravings but let them happen and breathed through them or got myself busy. " I love that you said this. This is the way to do it! It's when we fight it the whole time, we give our addictive side more power in the end. That is something that we don't want to do. Expect the craving and just let it happen. Keep deep breathing and staying busy. Make changes to your routine, especially in the evening and keep blogging. You are helping others too!

Just one of the many avenues the addiction uses to con you! I hear that one at times, too. "You know I'll still be around tomorrow - make it easy on yourself now." I saw this quote, perhaps it'll help you in the evenings:

"A good way to look at nicotine addiction is as a demon that is dying. Smoking urges are the demon struggling to get you to feed him.

The longer he goes without being fed, the dimmer his voice gets. He will eventually starve to death. As he gets weaker, the strength he is losing is being transferred to you. You are gaining strength each time you are successful at not smoking."

Any time you need to blog, do - I know sometimes it helps get me through.

I am SO GLAD to see you back here beccalynn35 and I think it was a GREAT idea to post it on Facebook for the support and to let people help you. I am really proud of you. This is a one day at a time journey...sounds like a one evening at time journey in your case. Stay close to the site, the people here can get you through ANYTHING!